Franz Keller - A Revisit
02 February 2020
It has been a while now since we wrote our article about one of our personal favourite wineries, Franz Keller, which you can read or re-read here.
This summer we spent a few days in the dramatic, sunny Kaiserstuhl and we were fortunate enough to stay an afternoon, a night, and a morning at lovely Franz Keller Weingut. Fritz Keller and Michaela Nübling kindly welcomed us and took us on a little tour of the winery and gave us an extensive tasting.
The winery itself is an architectural pearl nestled directly into the cliffs. The production site, restaurant, and bottle shop are delicately merged together without ever disturbing the different atmospheres. The backsite opens up to a small square, which leaves a large indoor/outdoor space great for events, such as weddings or concerts.
The evening was spend with a wonderful dinner at the modern restaurant Kellerwirtschaft while over-looking the sloping vineyards and the lavish breakfast was served at Schwarzer Adler. We can only repeat our high recommendations in our last article. It is the perfect stop if you are travelling through Kaisersthul or anywhere nearby.
Here is our notes from the tasting:
| Franz Keller Schlossberg Achkarren Spätburgunder GG 2017 |
| 92 |
Aroma had plenty of smoke, cherries, currants, forest floor, mixed forest berries, and herbal hints. Over the palate came cherries, currants, volcanic smoke, oak and herbal hints. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Eichberg Spätburgunder GG 2017 |
| 93 |
Aroma had cherries, light smoke, oak, currants, herbs, fine fruits, and forest floor. Over the palate came cherries, currants, forest floor, light herbs, and forest floor. Medium plus acidity, medium tannins and dry. Lovely length and balance. What a great wine. |
| Franz Keller Eichberg Spätburgunder GG 2016 |
| 92 |
Aroma had succulent cherries, currants, oak, smoke, herbs, and forest floor. Over the palate came cherries, smoke, currants, oak, and herbs. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Eichberg Spätburgunder GG 2014 |
| 92 |
Aroma had cherries, leather, oak, forest floor, small berries, and herbs. Over the palate came leather, cherries, currants, herbs, and oak. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Franz Anton Spätburgunder 2016 |
| 89 |
Aroma had succulent cherries, oak, currants, herbs, and forest floor. Over the palate came cherries, currants, oak, smoke, herbs and forest floor. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Oberbergener Bassgeige Spätburgunder 2017 |
| 87 |
Aroma had cherries, light oak, smoke, currants, and herbs. Over the palate came cherries, currants, oak, smoke, and herbal hints. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Spätburgunder Vom Löss 2017 |
| 86 |
Aroma had cherries, herb garden, forest floor, smoke, and currants. Over the palate came cherries, currants, herbs, and forest floor. Medium acidity, medium tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Kirchberg GG Chardonnay 2017 |
| 92 |
Aroma had melon, grapefruit, plenty of oak, light smoke, fine white fruits, and licorice. Over the palate came grapefruits, volcanic smoke, oak, lemons and licorice. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. Fantastic balance. |
| Franz Keller Leh GG Weißburgunder 2017 |
| 91 |
Aroma had white peach, light melon, grapefruits, licorice, and subtle oak. Over the palate came grapefruit, oak, juicy melons, and minerals. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Kähner Oberbergen GG 2017 |
| 92 |
Aroma had grapefruit, lemons, white peach, oak, and licorice. Over the palate came grapefruits, juicy lemons, lime, oak, minerals, and light notes of licorice. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. Excellent! |
| Franz Keller Franz Anton Chardonnay 2017 |
| 91 |
Aroma had plenty of oak, subtle smoke, licorice, burned toast, and grapefruits. Over the palate came grapefruits, lemons, plenty of oak, smoke, licorice, and minerals. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Franz Anton Grauburgunder 2017 |
| 89 |
Aroma had oak, licorice, minerals, grapefruit, lemons, and subtle smoke. Over the palate came white peach, grapefruit, lime, oak, licorice, and light smoke. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry." |
| Franz Keller Franz Anton Weißburgunder 2017 |
| 90 |
Aroma had oak, licorice, flint, minerals, grapefruit, and lime. Over the palate came oak, licorice, flint, smoke, grapefruit, and lemons. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Oberbergener Bassgeige Grauburgunder 2017 |
| 88 |
Aroma had subtle oak, peach, melon, flint, and light smoke. Over the palate came pineapples, melon, oak, and light hints of licorice. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Oberbergener Bassgeige Weissburgunder 2018 |
| 88 |
Aroma had melon, pineapples, light oak, and vanilla. Over the palate came melon, pineapples, lime, oak, light licorice, and vanilla. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. |
| Franz Keller Grauburgunder Vom Löss 2018 |
| 87 |
Aroma had peach, melon, passionfruit, and lime. Over the palate came peach, lime, yellow melons, and light hints of minerals. Medium acidity, low tannins and dry. |
